Duplicator.



N. S. SEELEY & F. PERRY.

DUPLICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.10,I9I7.

1,235,933, Patented. Aug. 7, 1917.

,4 TTORA/EYJ NATHANIEL S. SEELEY, 0F FLUSHING,

AND FRANKLIN PERRY, OF ELMHURST, NEW YORK.

DUPLICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Au. '7, 1917.

Application filed February 10, 1917. Serial No. 147,758.

Our invention relates particularly to duplicators of the portable type.

One object of our invention 1s to provide such a duplicator which shall be as small and compact as possible, convenient in operation and of relatively inexpensive construction.

Another object of our invention is the provision of improved transfer-ribbon supporting means, which permit of ready adjustment of the ribbon while in operative position, and which can be easily removed fromthe duplicator to facilitate renewal of the ribbon when desired.

Another object of our invention is the provision of improved means to facilitate the tearing off of sheets from a web or webs of paper.

Another object of our invention is to provide a duplicator of the type above referred to, with means for detachably supporting a book, such as an order book, in full view of the operator, so that he may have ready reference thereto while using the duplicator, and with convenient means for receiving and retaining one or more of the duplicate slips of each set produced upon the duplicator.

Other objects of our invention, such as the provision of means for registering the web properly prior to the tearing of sheets therefromfand of means for preventing the displacement of the transfer ribbon by the paper webs when the latter are advanced, will be referred to more fully hereafter.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 shows our improved duplicator in perspective; 1, Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section thereof;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the combination writing table and ribbon support which we employ in our duplicator;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view looking from the bottom of the forward end of the duplicator cover, and showing the means for registering the paper web;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of the rear end of the duplicator, showing the book-sccuring lips.

Referring to the drawing, 10 indicates the paper receptacle which is preferably of substantially rectangular shape and adapted to receive a supply of paper 11. The paper supply, as shown, is in the form of two superposed webs folded in a zig-zag manner, though obviously, if it is desired, more than two webs may be employed. We have found that by arranging the webs as indicated, we are enabled to store a maximum supply of paper in a minimum space.

Within the receptacle 10, adjacent thefront end thereof, there is removably placed the combination writing table and transfer-ribbon supporting means indicated at 12, and best shown in Fig. This device includes the writing table 13, the side edge portions of which are bent down, as clearly shown in the drawing, and provided with lips 14, each of which is constructed to form a bearing for one end of a ribbon spool 15.

Each of the ribbon spools 15 is provided this may be readily accomplished by first removing the cover 18; As is evident from an inspection of Fig. 3, when the device 12 has thus been removed, it is an easy matter to remove and replace the ribbon spools 15 and the ribbon 17. The removable cover 18 is provided, as indicated, with an aperture 19 which, when the cover is in position,

lies above the writing table 13. This cover 1's also provided at its front end with an extension 20 which carries at its end a knife edge 21 which will be described more in detail hereafter.

In the ordinary operation of our improved duplicator, the ends ofthe superposed webs 50 adjacent the knife edge 21, these projections pass over the writing table 13, the transfer ribbon 17 being interposed between the upper and lower web. The rear end of the writing table 13 is preferably rounded as indicated at 22, to facilitate the passage of the webs thereover. The desired notation is written upon the portion of the upper web which underlies the aperture 19 of the top 18, and through the action of the transfer ribbon 17 this notation is transferred to the underlying portion of the lower web. This having been accomplished, the two webs are advanced together by manually pulling their exposed ends forwardly, and after they have been advanced the desired amount, the portions thereof which have been written upon are torn off against the knife edge'21, above referred to.

In order to render theends of the web more accessible after sheets have been torn off as above described, the knife edge 21 is preferably displaced from the position ordi narily assumed by the ends of the web projecting through the opening formed between the front of the writing table 13 and the front of the cover 18. The knife edge may be thus positioned in any desired way, but we preferably provide the cover 18 with a knife-edge carrying extension 20 which is inclined in an upward and forward direction. By theterm inclined, we means to describe an extension which may lie in an inclined plane as well as the curved extension illustrated in the drawing. The fact that the knife edge 21 is thus displaced, does not in any way interfere with the tearing off of sheets from the webs, since after the initial advance of the webs, the natural tendency in pulling them out and tearing off sheets therefrom, is to hold the webs up against the knife edge.

In order that the webs, in passing beneath the aperture 19 of the cover 18, may be maintained in proper lateral register, we preferably provide the forward end of'the cover 18 with depending side guides, such as shown at 23 in Figs. 4 and 5. Also, in order that the web may be advanced a proper distance each time before sheets are torn therefrom, weprovide projections 24 being adapted to fit into suitably shaped notches 25 in the paper webs, which as above indicated are held up against the knife edge extension after their initial advance.

We have found that unless some means he provided for relieving the frictional contactbetween the paper webs and the transfer ribbon interposed therebetween, the advancing of the webs is apt to cause-a forward displacement of the ribbon, which is objectionable. We have, therefore, conceived the idea of relieving the frictional contact between the webs and the ribbon by employing means such as the bridge member 13 which may be secured to the writing table 13 at a point adjacent the edge of the ribbon 17. The lower web of paper passes below this bridge 13 and the upper web of paper will be readily understood.

In the use of a portable duplicator such as above described, it frequently is found neces sary to provide some means for storing one or more ofthe slips of each set of duplicates produced. The usual method, when there is no desk or filing facility at hand, is for the operator to place these duplicates in his pockets or in his order book. -In order to eliminate the obvious objections to these methods, .we have provided our improved duplicator with a storage device. As shown in the drawing, this device includes a troughshaped member 26 secured to the bottom of the receptacle by a spring 27, or in any other desired manner. The spring 27 shown in the drawing normally forces the bottom plate of the trough-shaped member 26 against the bottom of the container and is thus adapted to hold between itself and the bottom of the container, all slips which may be placed therein. Fig. 2 of the drawing shows this device 26 moved away from the bottom of the container, so that slips may be placed therein. This movement may be accomplished in any desired manner, but in order that it may be done by the hand with which the operator supports the device, we prefer- I ably provide the rear end of the device 26 with a depending flange or lever 28. It is obvious that pressure against this flange or lever 28 will move the forward end of the device 26 away from the bottom of the re-' ceptacle 10.

To use a portable duplicator to best advantage, it is frequently necessary that the operator have ready reference to an order book or'the like. To provide for this, we have supplied our duplicator with means for detachably holding a book, such as an order book or pad, in open condition in full view of the operator. As illustrated, these mea-ns comprise two 'pairs of lips 29 and 30, one pair, such for example as the pair 29, being preferably stationary, and the. other pair, such as 30, being preferably springtact with the under surface of the cover 18, and which is normally spring-pressed toward the lips 29 by means ofa spring 32 connected to one of a pair of lugs 33 depending from the plate 31. This spring reacts against the adjacent depending end of the cover 18, or against the rear wall of the receptacle 10. The cover 18 is provided with slots 34 through which the lips project. In certain of the claims which follow, the term open book is used and is intended to refer not only to a book of the ordinary type, but as well to a pad or any similar device which can be conveniently used for reference by a person employing our improved duplicator.

It is to be understood that the terms forward and rear, as used in the specification and claims with reference to the two ends of the duplicator and of its compo-- the paper is discharged and the opposite end respectively. These terms have no relation whatever to the position of the duplicator with respect to the operator, it being apparent that duplicators constructed in accordance with'our invention, may be adapted when in use to be held with the paper discharge end extending either toward or away from the operator or to his right or left.

While we have illustrated and described but a single embodiment of our improved duplicator, it is to be understood that we do not wish to limit ourselves to this par-' ticular form of duplicator, since obviously many changes may be made therein without departing from the'spirit of our invention.

What we claim is: p 1. A duplicator, comprising a substantially rectangular receptacle for paper, and a writing table removably mounted within said receptacle and removable therefrom while the paper is retained in the receptacle, said table being providedwith means for supporting-a transfer ribbon and with means normally projecting without saidreceptacle, for advancing-the ribbon while the table is in operative position within said receptacle.

2. A duplicator, comprising a substantially rectangular receptacle for paper, a writing table removably mounted within; said receptacle and removable therefrom while the paper is retained in the receptacle, said table being provided on each side thereof with bearings, ribbon carrying spools mounted in said bearings and manually operable members connected to said spools and normally projecting without said receptacle,

whereby the ribbon may be advanced while forwardly and away from the plane of thepaper, and bearing a knife edge at its for ward end.

4:. A duplicator, comprising a paper receptacle provided with .a cover, said cover having at its forward end a forwardly and upwardly inclined knife-edge carrying extension, for the purpose described.

5. A duplicator, comprising areceptacle for a Web of paper having spaced notches in its edges, said receptacle being provided at one end withan'opening through which the paper may project and be withdrawn, a knife edge for tearing off sheets from said webs, and projections located adjacent said knife edge and adapted to be received within said notches, to register said webs prior to the tearing operation, said knife edge and projections being displaced from the plane normally assumed by" paper projecting through said opening.

6. A duplicator, provided with a receptacle for a plurality of superposedwebs of paper, means removably mounted in said receptacle for supporting a transfer ribbon in position between portions of said webs, said ribbon supporting means being removablefrom the receptacle while the webs are retained in the receptacle, and means carried by said ribbon-supporting means for relieving the frictional contact between said webs and said ribbon,'whereby the webs may be advanced with respect to said ribbon without displacing the latter.

7. A duplicator, provided with a receptacle for aplurality of superposed webs of paper, means L,removably mounted in said receptacle for supporting a transfer ribbon in position between portions of said webs,

. said ribbon-supporting means being remove FRANKLIN PERRY. 

